34. Lara does not deserve him.

BETH.

"You do know I know, right?" Yeesha said to me.

"That what?" I asked with raised eyebrows, trying my best to maintain my cool.

"That you and Tony have a thing going on." She blurted out and my eyes went wide open in shock. My heart skipped three beats and my feet went cold immediately.

"What… what are you talking about?" I managed to ask when I got a grip of myself.

"What am I talking about, or what are you hiding?" Yeesha asked with a smile that looked a bit evil on her face. "You don't have to lie and keep things all to yourself, you know? Besides, I don't talk much. I just sit and notice things whenever we go out together."

That was quite true. Yeesha never speaks during our outings unless she's asked about something or her contribution was needed. All she does is be on her phone or focus on her food, not knowing she listens and sees everything going on around her. Maybe the saying is true after all; the more you talk, the less you think. Yeesha is quite smart and she doesn't talk much, which equals to the fact that the less she talks, the more she thinks.

"Are you even listening to me?" She asked, waving her hands in front of me. I had no idea she had stood up from her seat to come stand in front of me. "You zoned out. Does the topic of the discussion make you that uncomfortable?" She asked, a sincere look on her face. "I could drop it, you know?"

"Yeah, we should. We should drop it right away."

Yeesha chuckled as she went back to have her seat. "I ain't dropping nothing. Today is the day we would have this discussion and nothing's gonna stop us." She said and folded her arms.

I rolled my eyes at her. "So, you were only trying to put words in my mouth when you asked if we should drop it?"

"Of course," she grinned from ear to ear. "So, now that no one is here, you had better tell me what's going on between you two. And trust me, it stays between us."

I stared at Yeesha as she said that. Truly, I trust her for some reason but I was not sure what it was. The thing is that she doesn't bow to Lara as Grace does, even Janet sometimes, and for this, I just know somehow that I can tell her things. But then, it was also risky. What if she gets drunk one day and tells Lara? It was just too risky.

"There's nothing between us, believe me," I said with a stern look, trying my best to convince her that I was telling the truth.

"Fine." She said and raised her hands in surrender. "Who were you on a call with, by the way?" She asked again.

"Told you it was Luca. Why are you asking a second time?" I replied to her.

"Because you have a text from Tony asking why you had hung up like that," she replied, holding my phone in her hands. "I can't read the whole thing, cause it only popped up on your screen as a notification. Your phone is locked, so—"

As I turned to look at her, my eyes went wide open in shock. I stood up and grabbed it quickly from her. "Hey!"

"What?" She asked with a questioning stare on her face. "I didn't send the text, did I?"

"Whatever."

"Yeah, whatever." She replied and chuckled, knowing she had just caught me red-handed.

I unlocked my phone and read the text Tony sent. It read; 'Hey, girl. Why did you hang up like that? Are you okay? If anything's up or you need help whatsoever, text me and we'll be there right away.'

We? I asked myself as I stared at my phone. Then, I figured he was probably referring to him and Luca, then I muttered an oh. I locked my phone and then dropped it on the stool in front of me and went back to sit. I could feel Yeesha's stares at me, so I sighed. I should just tell her.

"Fine, I like him. So, stop staring at me like that. It's creepy as hell," I said to her, my confession statement fast.

"I know you like him. I figured that out already." Yeesha said and chuckled again.

"What… what are you talking about?"

"Beth, even a blind person can feel the heat between you two. Do you even see the way you two stare at each other?" She said and giggled. "I'd kill for a man to stare at me in such a way. It's just too intense. Do something about your love or something." She added and rolled on her chair.

I sighed. Even Yeesha knew about it. Who else knows? I hoped Lara wouldn't. I didn't want to do anything that would cause a fight between us.

"You didn't add that she stares at him as if she wants to devour him too. Their heat is something else, girl." Janet said as she walked into the sitting room from inside my house.

Both our heads snapped in her direction as we jolted in our seats. "What the fuck, Janet?!" Yeesha exclaimed.

"Guy, how and where did you get in from? You fucking startled us!" I exclaimed too.

She walked into the sitting room and dropped her bag on the chair, then she jumped on the chair too like a little child. "Oh, I so much love your sofa. That's one thing I love about coming to your place. Would be nice to fuck a man on this fluffy thing."

"Hey!" I snapped at her, while Yeesha just stared at her. "I asked how you got in!"

"Your back door is opened, duh. Yeesha and I were coming together and I had to stop by the shop behind your house to get a couple of cosmetics. You didn't expect me to come to the front door when your back door was nearer, did you?" She asked me.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Speaking of which. I heard you two's discussion and trust me, I'm so proud of you." Janet said and chuckled.

"Yeah, damn proud of her too."

"What the heck are you two…?" I asked them, as I was confused about what they were proud of me for. Then, the realization hit me. "Nah, nah. You shouldn't. That's not a good thing that's happening. He's with Lara and—"

"We all know Lara doesn't deserve him. Just go on with whatever thing is going on between you two. If it's gonna work out in the end, it's all great. And if it doesn't, at least you two made attempts." Janet said and shrugged.

"Yeah, I agree. Better than regrets that you never tried at all." Yeesha supported her.

"Besides, I'm glad you're doing something bad. I mean, having a thing for your bestie's man? That's a welcome development, babe." Janet said, making me shake my head at her.

"Just stop the discussion already. In fact, why are you guys even here?!" I asked, looking at both of them. "You rarely visit me!"

"We came to check up on you. Heard you were sick." Yeesha said to me.

"Oh, that," I said and sat back on my sofa, thinking about the discussion I just had with them. Maybe they're both right after all.